After the Tennessee General Assembly approved the map, the Republican senator and 2026 gubernatorial candidate said it would help advance President Donald Trump's agenda.
Blackburn said the redistricting move would usher in an "America's Golden Age" in Tennessee and make the state a national conservative leader.
The remarks tie the map's passage to broader Republican political goals in Tennessee as Blackburn campaigns for governor.
How does Tennessee's new map reflect a growing national trend of mid-decade redistricting before major elections?
After a key Supreme Court ruling, what are the new legal standards for drawing congressional district lines?
Breaking Memphis: The 2026 Redistricting That Diluted Black Voting Power in Tennessee
Overview
In May 2026, Tennessee Republicans passed a new congressional map that split Memphis's Shelby County into three districts, dismantling the state's only majority-Black Democratic district. This move aimed to create a fully Republican delegation by diluting Black voting power, enabled by a 2025 repeal of Tennessee's mid-decade redistricting ban and a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened protections against racial gerrymandering. The decision sparked protests, outrage from Democratic leaders, and legal challenges led by civil rights groups. Meanwhile, Senator Marsha Blackburn's gubernatorial campaign strongly supported the redistricting, making it a central issue ahead of the August primaries and November general election, with community groups mobilizing to counteract voter suppression.